This invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications, and more particularly to a system and method for bundling messages for transmission in a telecommunications network.
Advanced telecommunications networks include a system of trunk lines interconnected by switching points that route calls over the trunk lines. Control points are connected to the switching points in order to provide the switching points with routing and other information to support advanced services demanded by telephone users. Examples of advanced services are free phone (FPH) services such as time dependent routing, calling card (CCD) services, virtual private network (VPN) services, and personal 1-800 services.
The switching points and control points are connected to each other by a messaging system. At the switching points, each message requesting information from a control point is conventionally generated by a user layer and separately packetized at a packet layer. The packet is then framed at a link layer and passed to a physical layer where the message is transmitted on the messaging system to the control point. At the control point, the process is reversed with the message being received by a physical layer and passed to a link layer where the packet is extracted from its transmission frame. The message is extracted from the packet at a packet layer and forwarded to a user layer for processing and reply. Replies are similarly packaged for return transmission to the switching point.
In packaging the message, header and other overhead information is added to the message at the packetizing level and at the framing level. This overhead increases the amount of bandwidth needed to transmit each message and thus can lead to congestion on the messaging system. In addition, the time needed to packetize and frame each message can lead to transmission delays.
The present invention provides an improved method and system for transmitting messages in a telecommunications network that substantially reduce or eliminate disadvantages and problems associated with prior systems and methods. In particular, the present invention bundles messages together into a shared packet in order to reduce transmission overhead, and thus more efficiently use network bandwidth resources.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for bundling messages for transmission in a telecommunications network includes receiving a first message and a disparate second message. The first and second messages are inserted into a shared packet and transmitted over the telecommunications network in the shared packet.
More particularly, in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, the first and second messages are combined to generate an extended message. The extended message is then inserted into the shared packet for transmission to a remote node of the telecommunications network. At the remote node, the shared packet is received and the extended message is extracted. The first and second messages are distinguished from each other and individually processed. The first and second messages may be serially processed by a single system or separately forwarded to distinct processing systems.
Technical advantages of the present invention include providing an improved method and system for transmitting messages in a telecommunications network. In particular, a plurality of messages are bundled into an extended message. The extended message is inserted into a shared packet for transmission in the telecommunications network. Because the bundled messages share a common overhead, the bandwidth needed to transmit the messages is reduced. Accordingly, traffic and resulting congestion on the telecommunications network is reduced.
Other technical advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, description, and claims.